Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together News

[p][/p][p][/p][h2]Hey Chefs! [/h2][p][/p][p]We want to share an important update regarding the release of Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together.  [/p][p][/p][h3]After careful consideration, we’ve decided to move the release date to March 31st, 2026. [/h3][p][/p][p]This decision wasn’t made lightly. Nowadays, it’s no longer enough to simply create a good game - our goal is to deliver an experience that feels extraordinary, memorable, and truly worth your time from the very first service. [/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]Listening to the community [/h3][p][/p][p]Since November, Cooking Simulator 2 has been in continuous external QA, playtests, and focus sessions. During this time, we didn’t just observe gameplay - we talked a lot with you, the community. [/p][p]Your feedback sparked long internal discussions about what Cooking Simulator 2 could do to become even better. Together, we analyzed what works, what needs improvement, and where we can go further. These conversations directly influenced our decision to take more time and refine the game instead of rushing to the finish line. [/p][p] [/p][h3]Why the change? [/h3][p][/p][p]Moving the release to March 31st, 2026 gives us the space to polish and elevate key systems, including: [/p]

• [p]Quality-of-life improvements that make everyday kitchen work even smoother, clearer, and more intuitive[/p]

• [p]Further refinement of the next-generation blueprint system, allowing players to save and share step-by-step custom recipes [/p]

• [p]Development of Cooking Sense, our visual take on real-world sensations like taste and smell [/p]

• [p]More life like and varied guest behavior scenarios [/p]

• [p]And more other things, which will make the game much more memorable!  [/p]

[p]Each of these elements benefits directly from the feedback you’ve shared with us. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p] [/p][h3]What’s next? [/h3][p][/p][p]The upcoming months will include: [/p]

• [p]Wider external network tests [/p]

• [p]A playable Prologue during Steam Next Fest in Feb 2026
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• [p]More community-focused activities alongside the Prologue [/p][p][/p]

[h3]Thank you [/h3][p][/p][p]Your trust, patience, and honest feedback are a huge part of Cooking Simulator 2’s development. Thanks to your involvement, we’re not just polishing a game - we’re shaping something better, together. [/p][p]We’re excited to keep cooking with you and can’t wait to welcome you into the kitchen on March 31st, 2026. [/p]

[h3]Hi Chefs! 👨‍🍳 [/h3][h3]
Today’s devlog focuses on character creation and personalization, showing how you can shape your appearance, style, and identity as you build your culinary career.[/h3][p][/p][p]Cooking has always been about personality. In Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together, we wanted that personality to start long before the first dish hits the pan. That is why we created the character creation and customization, giving you control over who your chef is, how they look, and how they evolve throughout your culinary journey. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]From the very beginning, your chef is more than just a pair of hands in the kitchen. You create a character that represents your style, attitude, and ambition. Whether you imagine yourself as a disciplined professional, a rebellious culinary artist, or something in between, the tools are there to bring that vision to life. [/p][hr][/hr][h3]Build Your Chef [/h3][p]Character creation allows you to shape your chef’s appearance with a wide range of options. Choose facial features, hairstyles, accessories and overall look to define your starting identity. Your chef should feel like yours, whether you prefer a clean, classic appearance or something more expressive and unconventional. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]This is not about presets alone. It is about creating a character that fits the way you want to play and the story you want to tell through your rise in the culinary world.  [/p][hr][/hr][h3]Style That Evolves With You [/h3][p]From practical kitchen wear to more stylish and eye-catching options, your wardrobe reflects your growth as a chef and your place in the city’s culinary scene. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p]Customization is not limited to work hours either. Before you start the game, or outside the kitchen, in your own apartment, you can adjust your appearance freely, experimenting with new styles whenever inspiration strikes. Change things up, refine your look, or reinvent yourself completely. Just like cooking, style is an ongoing experiment. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]Identity in Multiplayer [/h3][p]In co-op mode, personalization takes on an extra role. Your chef is how other players recognize you in the kitchen. Whether you coordinate looks with friends or stand out with a bold design, customization helps every player feel distinct, even when working side by side during the busiest services or the wildest sandbox sessions. [/p][p][/p][p][/p][hr][/hr][h3]More Than Cosmetics [/h3][p]Character personalization in Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together is about ownership. It is about feeling connected to your chef as they improve, unlock new abilities, and face tougher challenges. Your appearance becomes part of your story, a visual record of your progress from humble beginnings to culinary mastery. [/p][p][/p][p]This is only one piece of the experience we are building, but it is an important one. Cooking is creative. Your chef should be too. [/p][hr][/hr][h3] [/h3][p]If you like what you see, add Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together to your wishlist on Steam. It is the best way to support development and make sure you do not miss future updates, devlogs, and announcements.

[dynamiclink][/dynamiclink][/p][p]Follow us on our social channels: Facebook, X, Tiktok, and Discord to get a closer look at development, sneak peeks at new features, behind-the-scenes insights, and the occasional dose of kitchen chaos. We would love to hear your thoughts, ideas, and feedback as we continue shaping the game together with the community.[/p][p]Thank you for being part of this journey.
We will see you in the kitchen.[/p]

[p]Hi Chef's[/p][p]While we are setting up another round of playtests, we would like to invite you to take part in a little game: Find the Name![/p][p]Cooking isn’t all about work and glory. After a long day, it’s good to relax — and nothing sparks a good mood like a delicious meal.[/p][p]One of the places where you can unwind in Cooking Simulator 2 is the Chef’s Flat, where you can chill out, work on new ideas, or simply take care of yourself. Change your style, get a new haircut or suit, add some tattoos — nobody said chefs can’t be stylish![/p][p][/p][p]During this relaxing time, you’ll also get to hang out with your two friends: our studio’s beloved dog (a huge sleepyhead) and a curious pigeon.[/p][p]We’d love to ask for your help in picking names for them, which will later appear in the game![/p][p][/p][carousel][/carousel][p]If you’d like to take part, please share your name ideas in the comments below.[/p][p](They should be friendly — no offensive or negative ones, please!)[/p][p]You can leave name here in comment 1.DOG 2.PIGEON or join our Discord and join disscuscion about it.[/p][p][/p][p]COOKING SIMULATOR DISCORD[/p][p][/p][p]A week from now, we’ll collect all the suggestions and create a poll with the most popular ones so you can vote for your favorite and help us choose the final names.[/p][p][/p][p]We’re counting on your creativity — and wishing you lots of fun coming up with names![/p][p][/p][p]See you around your Cooking Team.[/p]

[h2]Chefs of the world — get ready.  [/h2][p]In Cooking Simulator 2: Better Together, we’ve taken one of the biggest leaps since the first game. This time, you’re not just following recipes… you’re writing them.  [/p][p]  [/p][p]In the first Cooking Simulator, recipes were pretty much “carved in stone.” Stray from the instructions and any deviation from the instructions was treated as a mistake. Not anymore. With our brand-new Blueprint system, we’re putting creativity right in your hands — giving you the freedom to edit, swap, build, and completely reinvent dishes however you like.  [/p][p] [/p][h3]What’s a Blueprint?  [/h3][p]Think of it as your personal recipe lab.  [/p][p]You can start with one of our dishes and tweak it… or go full mad-genius chef and create something totally unique from scratch.  [/p][p]Every ingredient. Every process. Every step. Yours to control.  [/p][p] [/p][p]Want to replace onions with leeks? Easy.  [/p][p]Add cheese to a burger? Done.  [/p][p]Build a five-step gourmet masterpiece? Go for it.  [/p][p][/p][p]The Blueprint system gives you access to all the ingredients and processes available in the game. It allows you to edit existing recipes or add brand-new ones. While working on a recipe, you can also track in real time how its flavor profile changes. In fact, it’s a simulation of all the cooking mechanics in our game! This makes it one of the more complex systems to operate, which is why we put a lot of effort into making the interface as clear and visually appealing as possible.  [/p][p] [/p][h3]Paths to Perfection  [/h3][p] Every recipe is made up of paths — groups of actions for a set of ingredients.  [/p][p]Some are simple, like a broth (one path, everything in the pot).  [/p][p]Others are multi-step marvels, like a burger with fried bacon and onion rings:  [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]Grill the patty  [/p]

• [p]Toast the bun  [/p]

• [p]Fry the bacon  [/p]

• [p]Bread and deep-fry the onion rings  [/p]

• [p]Prep the raw toppings  [/p]

[p] [/p][p]You can merge paths (fry onions before adding them to soup) or split them (serve components separately). It’s cooking, your way.  [/p][p]All paths eventually lead to assembly — the stage where everything prepared in the Blueprint is combined on the plate into a single portion for the customer.  [/p][p]The Blueprint system supports that too.  [/p][p]Each path must have at least one ingredient. An ingredient can be cut into one of its available cutting types or seasoned with spices. You can also specify the number of portions of that ingredient.  [/p][p]Ingredients can be treated with thermal or mechanical processing. You can add multiple processes to a single path, and processes can be repeated multiple times. If you want an ingredient to remain raw, no processing step is required — but keep in mind that some ingredients are inedible without thermal processing! Mechanical processing is also possible, such as blending.  [/p][p] [/p][h3]Control the Flavour  [/h3][p]While you experiment, the Inspector panel shows how your changes affect the flavor profile — from the five basic tastes (salty, sweet, sour, bitter, umami) to extra attributes like spicy and fatty.  [/p][p]The graph displays information depending on what you’re focused on:  [/p][p] [/p]

• [p]A single ingredient at a given stage of the path.  [/p]

• [p]The entire process step at a given stage of the path.  [/p]

• [p]The whole dish.  [/p]

[p] [/p][p]Monitoring these elements will be useful when dealing with different customer groups visiting your restaurant (but that’s a topic for another article ;).  [/p][p]Most importantly, there’s more than one way to achieve the same effect.  [/p][p] [/p][p]Want sweetness without sugar? Try carrots.  [/p][p]Need more umami? Mushrooms might be your answer.  [/p][p] [/p][h3]Save, Share, and Expand  [/h3][p]Name your creations, save them, and add them to your restaurant menu. Each recipe even gets a complexity rating, so there’s more incentive to serve a gourmet feast instead of, say… salted water.  [/p][p] [/p][p]And the best part?  [/p][p]We’re planning to expand the Blueprint system over time with new processes and ingredients in various packages — meaning your creativity will keep growing long after launch.  [/p][p] [/p][p]Bottom line: In Cooking Simulator 2, you’re not just cooking meals. You’re crafting your culinary legacy.  [/p][p][/p][p]Next round in couple weeks we will let you cook it however this time we need your feedback on the blueprint itself as it is an important part of the process. [/p][p][/p][h3]Join our playtest on Discord[/h3][p][/p][p]https://discord.gg/bigcheesestudio[/p][p][/p][h3]So, chef — what will your first Blueprint be? [/h3]

Hi Chefs!🧑‍🍳

As some of you may know, we've recently started a playtest for the game. For those of you who've been selected to take part in the playtest, join our Discord to receive a second key to share with your friend.

For those who didn't, there might also be a chance to get into the playtests via a competition soon :)

https://discord.gg/bigcheesestudio